CHILD LABOUR Child labor refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labor.

This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries. Child labor was utilized to varying extents through most of history, but entered public dispute with the advent of universal schooling, with changes in working conditions during the industrial revolution, and with the emergence of the concepts of workers' and children's rights. In many developed countries, it is considered inappropriate or exploitative if a child below a certain age works (excluding household chores, in a family shop, or schoolrelated work).[2] An employer is usually not permitted to hire a child below a certain minimum age. This minimum age depends on the country and the type of work involved. States ratifying the Minimum Age Convention adopted by the International Labor Organization in 1973, have adopted minimum ages varying from 14 to 16. Child labor laws in the United States set the minimum age to work in an establishment without restrictions and without parents' consent at age 16.[3] The incidence of child labor in the world decreased from 25 to 10 percent between 1960 and 2003, according to the World Bank.[4] ILO estimated that 250 million children between 5 and 14 work for a living, and over 50 million children under age twelve work in hazardous circumstances. United Nations estimate that there were 20 million bonded child laborers worldwide. Based on reliable estimates, at least 700,000 persons to 2 million, especially girls and children, are trafficked each year across international borders. The percentage of child labour is 14.4 percent in India. India has the dubious distinction of being the nation with the largest number of child labourers in the world. The child labors endure miserable and difficult lives. They earn little and struggle to make enough to feed themselves and their families. They do not go to school; more than half of them are unable to learn the barest skills of literacy. Poverty is one of the main reasons behind this phenomenon. The unrelenting poverty forces the parents to push their young children in all forms of hazardous occupations. Child labour is a source of income for poor families. They provide help in household enterprises or of household chores in order to free adult household members for economic activity elsewhere. In some cases, the study found that a child's income accounted for between 34 and 37 percent of the total household income. In India the emergence of child labour is also because of unsustainable systems of landholding in agricultural areas and caste system in the rural areas. Bonded labour refers to the phenomenon of children working in conditions of servitude in order to pay their debts. The debt that binds them to their employer is incurred not by the children themselves but by their parent. The creditors cum employers offer these loans to destitute parents in an effort to secure the labor of these children. CHILD LABOUR IN CHINA The percentage of child labour in china is 11.6 percentages. C hinas child labor is a h uge problem, and there is clear evidence that child labor is in cr eas ing in C hina. A lthough there is no official figure on the

n u mb er of children w orking in C hina, it is es timated by many that of th e 1 0 million children out of s chool, over 5 million are working in f acto r ies . There are some w ho even cons ider this a cons ervative es timat e. It w as reported in S ichuan, C hinas mos t populated p r o v in ce, that 85% of children w ho drop out of s chool are w orking els ew here. Even in s ome les s populated rural provinces , over 20% of th e w ork force is made up o f children. A ls o, in the las t few years , th e r ate of children kidnapped has increas ed rapidly. It is believed th at th e children kidnapped are s old off to factories to w ork. For ex amp le, in 1994, about 48 C hines e brick- shop-w orkers kidnapped o v er 1 00 children. It is know n that fourty of thos e children w ere f o r ced to w ork 10 hours a day, but w ith no w age whats oever. C hinas ch ild labor cannot be overlooked. C h ild lab ou r in ru s s ia
R u s s i a s l a w s f or c hi l d h o o d e m p l o y m e n t a r e v e r y s p e c i f i c . T h e L a b o r C o d e p r o hi b i t s e m p l o ym e n t o f a n y c h i l d r e n u n d e r t h e a g e o f 1 6 . A n y p o s i t i o n s t h a t w o u l d r e q ui r e a n e m p l o y e e t o w o r k n i g h t s o r o v e r t i m e cannot be filled by anybody under the age of 18. Under certain specific c o n d i t i o n s w i t h p a r e nt a l a p p r o v a l , a c h i l d m a y w o r k a s s o o n a s a g e 1 4 . F o r c e d o r b o n d e d l a b o r b y c hi l d r e n i s p r o h i b i t e d . M a n y c h i l d r e n a r e i n v ol v e d i n i l l e g a l d r u g s a l e s . I n s o m e p l a c e s , c h i l d r e n w i l l b e g i v e n drugs so that they will follow any directions they are given.&nb! sp; Some children are forced to work more hours than the legal limit. Child labour in usa N e a r l y a l l t y p e s o f c h i l d l a b o r h a p p e n i n t h e U . S. , w h e t h e r i t i s a g r i c u l t u r e , f a c t or y w o r k . D e p t b o n d a g e a n d g a r b a g e w o r k a r e v e r y r a r e f o r m s of c hi l d l a b or i n t h e U . S. M o s t c h i l d l a b o r e r s i n t h e U . S . w o r k o n f a r m s o u t i n t h e w e s t . A c c o r di n g t o a H u m a n R i g h t s W a t c h r e p o r t , o v e r h a l f o f i nt e r vi e w e d f a r m w o r k e r s w o r k e d i n a r e c e n t l y s p r a y e d f i e l d a n d a t hi r d ha d b e e n s p r a y e d t h e m s e l v e s . A l s o t h e w o r k e r s a r e c o m m o n l y beaten, whipped, and threatened for low quality work. A c c o r d i n g t o H u m a n Ri g h t s W a t c h ( H R W ) , i n t h e s m a l l t o w n o f A u g i l a , A r i z o n a , t h e o nl y w o r k i s f or M a t o r i , a l a r g e c a n t a l o u p e f a r m . H R W i nt e r v i e w e d t w o gi r l s w h o s h o w e d t h e m t h e i r h o m e , p r o v i d e d b y M a t o r i . A f t e r t he i n t e r vi e w , M a t or i t h r e a t e n e d t h a t t h e g i r l s p a r e n t s c o u l d b e t a k e n t o c o u r t f o r t a l ki n g t o H R W . A l s o , f a r m o w n e r s d o n o t p r o v i d e w a t e r w h i c h i s r e q ui r e d b y l a w . I n s t e a d , t h e o w n e r s s e l l s o d a a n d b e e r f o r $ 1 . 0 0 t o $ 1 . 5 0. T h e c h i l d l a b o r e r s a r e r a r e l y , i f e v e r e d u c a t e d . F r a n k Z a m u di o o f t h e A r i z o na D e p a r t m e n t o f A g r i c u l t u r e s P e s t i c i d e W o r k e r S a f e t y p r o gr a m h a d t o t h r e a t e n t o g e t a s e a r c h w a r r a n t b e f o r e h e w a s allowed onto Pavich Farms, a large organic grape grower.

Child Labor in Africa

A f r i c a i s t h e p o or e s t c o nt i n e nt o n t h e f a c e o f t h e p l a n e t , a n d o f t e n c o n s i de r e d t h e m o s t e f f e c t e d b y c h i l d l a b o r . O v e r 7 0 % o f t h e r e g i o n l i v e s a n d w o r k s i n e x t r e m e l y p o or c o n d i t i o n s . O f t h e 2 5 0 m i l l i o n c h i l d r e n w o r l d w i d e , i t i s e s t i m a t e d t ha t 3 2 % w o r k i n A f r i c a . I n A f r i c a , m o s t o f t h e c h i l d r e n w o r k i n a gr i c ul t u r e . A h u g e s c a n d a l a r o s e a f t e r n e a r l y h a l f t h e c h o c ol a t e p u r c h a s e d i n t h e U n i t e d St a t e s w a s l i n k e d t o c h i l d r e n producing it in cocoa fields in Africa. The cocoa farms are just the tip of t h e i c e b u r g , s a ys J o n a t h e n C o h e n , w h o i s a r e s e a r c h e r f o r t h e H u m a n R i g h t s W a t c h . T r a f f i c ki n g i n c h i l d l a b o r o c c u r s a l o n g n u m e r o u s r o u t e s i n W e s t A f r i c a , a n d g o v e r nm e n t s a r e n t d o i n g e n o u g h t o s t o p i t . G i r l s w h o were interviewed by the Human Rights Watch said that they were told to board ships bound for Gabon, where they were to work as servants and h o u s e - m a i ds . T o r e p hr a s e w h a t C o h e n s a i d , t h e r e i s m o r e t h a n m e e t s t h e e y e t o A f r i c a s pl i g ht of c hi l d l a b o r .
WHAT DO THEY DO?

Agriculture
O f t h e 2 5 0 m i l l i o n c hi l d l a b or e r s w o r l d w i d e , i t i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t a t l e a s t h a l f o f t he m w o r k i n a g r i c u l t u r e a l o n e . T h e r e a r e m a n y d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f a g r i c u l t u r a l w o r k . O n e of t he m i s p i c k i n g f r u i t s a n d v e g e t a b l e s . T h e w o r k is physically demanding because the children must bend down, kneel, c l i m b l a d d e r s , c a r r y he a v y l o a d s o f f r u i t , a n d o t h e r t h i n g s .

Trash Collecting
T h e r e a r e m a n y c hi l d r e n w h o l i v e n e a r a g a r b a g e d u m p a n d , s i n c e t h e i r f a m i l i e s a r e u n a b l e t o s u p p or t t h e m , t h e y a r e f o r c e d t o g o i n t o t h e d u m p a n d s e a r c h f or s om e t hi n g t o s e l l . T h e c h i l d r e n w o u l d c o l l e c t t h e m a t e r i a l s and recycle them for a small amount of money. The children are usually at h i g h r i s k f or m a n y di f f e r e n t t h i n g s , s i n c e t h e y a r e b e i n g c o n s t a n t l y exposed to harmful gasses that come out of decomposing trash

Domestic Service
D o m e s t i c s e r vi c e i s b y f a r t h e m o s t c o m m o n l i n e o f w o r k f o r f e m a l e c h i l d l a b or e r s , b ut b o y s c a n b e d om e s t i c s e r v a n t s a l s o . D o m e s t i c s e r v a n t s a r e b a s i c a l l y c hi l d r e n w h o w o r k a t a f a m i l y ' s h o m e a n d p e r f o r m t h e i r c o m m o n household tasks, such as caring for small children, cooking, cleaning the h o u s e a n d h a n dl i n g c l e a n i n g c h e m i c a l s , u s i n g s h a r p k i t c h e n u t e n s i l s , a n d lifting heavy items.

Child Soldiers

I f t h e c hi l d ' s h o m e i s i n a s t a t e o f w a r , t h e n s o m e t i m e s t h e c h i l d w i l l b e " s o l d " t o t h a t c o u n t r y ' s a r m y. T h e c h i l d w i l l t h e n b e f o r c e d t o f i g h t i n that nation's battles, which is one of the most emotionally scarring things you can do to someone. The children, ranging from ages 8 to 18, are f o r c e d t o ki l l . T h e y h a v e t o h a n d l e v e r y d a n g e r o u s o b j e c t s s u c h a s k n i v e s , pistols, rifles, grenades, and whatever else the army is able to use. Industrial work S o m e t i m e s , c h i l d r e n a r e f or c e d t o w o r k i n i n d u s t r i a l s i t u a t i o n s s u c h a s s w e a t s h o ps , f a c t o r i e s , a n d ot h e r m a s s p r o d u c t i o n b u i l d i n g s . M a n y t i m e s , l o c a l b us i n e s s o w n e r s w i l l o f f e r p o s i t i o n s a s " a p p r e n t i c e s " a n d o f f e r s o m e p a y t o t h e c h i l d.

Child Miners
O n e o f t h e m o s t da n g e r o u s j o b s a t w h i c h e x p l o i t e d c h i l d l a b o r e r s w o r k a t i s m i n i n g. C h i l d m i n e r s w o r k i n m a n y t y p e s o f m i n e s , i n c l u d i n g g o l d , e m e r a l ds , c o a l , t i n, i r o n , s i l v e r , a n d c h r o m e m i n e s . T h e y w o r k a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d, f r o m t h e g o l d m i ne s of C o t e D I v o i r e i n A f r i c a t o t h e M a d r e d e Dios region mines in Peru. Miners also work in countries such as Brazil, P e r u, C o l om b i a , B o l i v i a , a n d m a n y p a r t s o f A f r i c a ( s u c h a s Z i m b a b w e ) .

Other
Many child laborers are forced to do other kinds of work than just those l i s t e d a b o v e . O t h e r c hi l d r e n s e l l g o o d s s u c h a s f o o d , d r i n k , a n d c l o t h i n g . Some children also perform services for others and beg for change. A c o m m o n e xa m p l e o f t hi s i s c h i l d r e n g e t t i n g o n a t r a i n a n d s w e e p i n g u n d e r p a s s e n ge r ' s f e e t . T h e y a l s o w o u l d t h e n g e t o f f t h e t r a i n a n d w a l k i n t h e o p p o s i t e di r e c t i o n.

International Labor Conventions and United Nations Conventions:

One step towards eradicating child labor is creating international laws t h a t c o u nt r i e s c a n a d o pt i n or d e r t o s t e m c h i l d l a b o r .

Legislation:
While international laws help fight exploitative child labor, national laws do their share as well. In 1992, the United States adopted legislation that banned the import of s o m e c hi l d - l a b o r - m a d e i t e m s

National Governments and Local Governments:

N a t i o n a l g o ve r n m e nt s c a n pl a y a k e y r o l e i n e l i m i n a t i n g c h i l d l a b o r .

B y p a s s i n g l a w s t h a t b a n c hi l d l a b o r u n d e r a c e r t a i n a g e , a n d b y r a t i f y i n g I L O a n d U . N . c o n ve n t i o ns , t h e y c a n h e l p e n d c h i l d l a b o r

Special Programs:
I n m a n y c a s e s , s p e c i a l pr o g r a m s c a n g r e a t l y h e l p f i g h t c h i l d l a b o r . I n M e x i c o a n d B r a z i l , t w o pr o g r a m s , t h e P r o g r e s a a n d t h e B o l s a E s c o l a , ( r e s p e c t i v e l y) gi v e pa r e n t s a n i n c e n t i v e t o , s e n d t h e i r c h i l d r e n t o s c h o o l . T h e s e p r o g r a m s d o t hi s b y g i v i n g f a m i l i e s m o n e y i f t h e i r c h i l d r e n a t t e n d s c h o o l r e g ul a r l y i n s t e a d o f w o r k i n g f o r m o n e y